The present invention relates generally to a refuse collection vehicle body and, more particularly, to a refuse collection vehicle body having hazmat containment means associated therewith as well as an improved tailgate locking mechanism, a flared storage compartment body design and an electrical monitoring system for the monitoring of hoses associated with the hydraulic cylinders incorporated into the refuse collection vehicle body.
Various types of refuse collection systems in vehicles are well-known in the industry. Such refuse collection vehicles typically include a refuse collection vehicle body positioned on a vehicle chassis where the vehicle chassis includes a cab or operator compartment for housing the vehicle operator, a frame structure for holding the refuse collection vehicle body including an appropriate number of wheels for carrying the designed load, and an engine for powering the vehicle and the hydraulic and/or pneumatic systems associated therewith.
The refuse collection vehicle body typically includes a receiving hopper, a storage compartment and a mechanism for emptying the refuse material collected within the storage compartment. The receiving hopper is typically located forward of the storage compartment and is designed to receive the refuse material when loaded within the vehicle body. A wall or partition member typically separates the receiving hopper from the storage compartment. The storage compartment typically includes a rectangular straight body design and a rear access door for allowing egress of the stored refuse or waste material. The partition or wall member separating the receiving hopper from the storage compartment typically includes a passageway for allowing the refuse material from the receiving hopper to be transferred to the storage compartment.
Transfer of the refuse material from the receiving hopper to the storage compartment can be accomplished in several different ways. One mechanism includes a longitudinal sliding packer device which moves the refuse from a front portion of the receiving hopper through the opening associated with the divider wall member into the storage compartment. Another mechanism typically used is a pendulum style packer mechanism wherein the packer device is pivotally mounted within the receiving hopper and swings in an arcuate fashion from a raised position to a position adjacent the opening in the divider wall so as to again transfer the refuse material from the receiving hopper through the divider wall opening into the storage compartment. In this type of mechanism, the receiving hopper floor is typically arcuate in shape to correspond to the arc of the pendulum style packer device. The pendulum style packer is typically operated through the use of a pair of hydraulic cylinders which typically extend into either the receiving hopper or the storage compartment. In either case, these hydraulic cylinders are exposed to the refuse material being collected.
To empty waste from the storage compartment, a typical refuse collection vehicle body will include a pivotally mounted tailgate associated with the rear portion of the storage compartment which is moved to an open position to permit transfer of the stored refuse material from the storage compartment to a landfill site or other location. Typically, the tailgate is activated by a pair of hydraulic lift cylinders to open and close the tailgate. The refuse material can be egressed from the storage compartment through conventional ejection systems such as through the use of a vehicle body tilting mechanism, or through the use of a sliding packer device which engages the divider wall or partition member between the receiving hopper and the storage compartment and longitudinally slides that divider wall towards the rear of the vehicle.
All of the known refuse collection vehicles utilize hydraulic cylinders for many operations associated with the refuse collection vehicle including opening and closing of the tailgate, movement of the respective packing devices, raising and lowering the vehicle body when a tilting ejection mechanism is utilized and, moving the divider wall when a sliding packer ejection mechanism is utilized, and other operations associated with a typical refuse collection vehicle. Such vehicles likewise utilize hydraulic fluid coolers, hydraulic tanks and a plurality of hydraulic lines to likewise operate the various hydraulic cylinders and other mechanisms associated with a typical refuse collection vehicle. These hydraulic cylinders and other components are typically exposed to the environment such that if a leak occurs in any of the hydraulic lines and hoses associated with these mechanisms, such hydraulic fluid or other hazardous material will be exposed to the environment. In other words, such fluid would leak onto roads, driveways, parking lots and other surfaces external to the refuse collection vehicle. A mechanism for containing these fluids if a leak or other malfunction should occur as well as a mechanism for monitoring these systems for possible degradation of the hoses and lines associated therewith or failure of such systems is greatly needed. In addition, the vehicle body configuration which removes the pendulum style packing cylinders or the sliding packer ejection system cylinders from inside the receiving hopper or storage compartment would greatly improve the longevity and wear and tear on these cylinders.
The present invention seeks to overcome the shortcomings and disadvantages associated with the known refuse collection vehicles by relocating and reducing the number of hydraulic cylinders associated with the operation of a refuse collection vehicle and by providing a hazmat containment system for all such hydraulic cylinders, hydraulic tank, hydraulic fluid cooler and associated hydraulic lines and hoses. The present invention also provides an electrical monitoring system for monitoring the hoses associated with the various hydraulic cylinders so as to give the vehicle operator advance notice of a pending failure of any of such hoses before a hazmat situation occurs.
Other improvements include several embodiments of an improved tailgate locking mechanism which incorporates a pneumatic system for applying air pressure to the tailgate latch mechanism when in its closed and lock position to further eliminate a potential hydraulic leak in this area if hydraulic cylinders were used to operate the latching mechanism. In addition, a flared storage compartment body design is utilized to simplify the manufacturing and assembly of the storage compartment and further facilitate and improve the egress of the waste material from within the storage compartment during the ejection or dumping process.